Glass-surfacing apparatus



Dec. 24, 1929. H. K. HITCHCOCK GLAS S SURFAC T NG APPARATUS l2sheets-sheet Filed April 22, 1925 gbr nu" Dec. 24, 1.929.

Filed April 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 6 7e 6 Qu 6 6 0 J 7% 0 6 6 9 -1MIII /7 ||4 1J||l|||| -rlullsm /l/wM-L Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE IAL'BERT K. HITCHCOCK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO' PITTS- :BURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA GLASS-SURFACING APPARATUS Application inea April aauaa.serial No. 25,007.

The invention relates to glass surfacing and more particularly to meansfor securing the plates or sheets to be surfaced to the cars or tablesemployed ina straight away grinding `and polishing operation. It has forits primary objects: the provision of an improved form of vacuum holdingapparatus whereby the necessity of using plaster of Paris for securingthe plates to the cars or tables is avoided; the provisiongpf a simpleand effectlve arrangement whereby the necessary vacu- ,um or suctioneffect can be applied to each .table of the series separately as theglass is placed thereon, and can also be applied to the entire seriesahead of the table upon which the glass is being positioned with theresult that any leakage `in the system can be compensated for each timea table is added to the train or series; the provision of an arrangementwhereby the vacuum systems of all the cars or tables are automaticallycoupled together when the cars are brought into abutting relation, sothat by coupling the suction apparatus to any car, the entire system maybe exhausted; the provision of an arrangement whereby suction is appliedautomatically to the table upon which a glass sheet has been positionedby the mere act of coupling such car to the other oars constituting thetrain; and the provision of improved means for coupling the exhaustsystems of the successive cars together and for coupling the exhaustproducing apparatus to' the exhaust systems of the cars so that thenumber of coupling devices required is reduced to a minimum, and thework of the operator made simple and easy. Certain embodiments of theinvention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembled apparatus. Fig. 2 is anenlarged horizontal section taken through the coupling devices at oneend of one of the tables And Fig. 3 is a modification of the couplingarrangement face the sheets of glass secured to the upper faces of thetables or cars.

The apparatus for securing the necessary vacuum or suction effect islocated at one side of the track upon which the cars arefmounted andcomprises an electric motor 6 driving a vacuum pump 7, such pump beingconnected to a suitable vacuum tank 8. A pair of hose connections 9 and10 are connected into the tank and carry at their ends suitable nozzles11 for insertion into the coupling members carried by each of the cars.

The cars are all similarly constructed and each consists of a top member12 supported upon wheels and provided with a Hat, smooth glasssupporting surface 13 upon which the glass plates to be surfaced arepositioned. The supporting surface 13 is provided with a plurality ofshallow sets of grooves 14 lead- 'ing into the ends of the verticalpassages or communications lwhich extend down to the nections 16 and 17being connected by the pipe 18. Each connection 17 extends to both endsof the table, as indicated in Fig. 1, having at one end the singlebranch 19 and at the other end, the pair of branches 2O and 21. Thebranch 21 being arranged so that it comes into alignment With the branch19 on the next car, while the branch 20 leads through the side of thecar and receives the nozzle 11 carried by one of the pipes 9 or 10, asheretofore referred to.

The details of the branch connections at the ends of two of the cars isshown in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale. Referring to this iig- -ure, thebranch 19 is provided with a coupling member 22 having a valve seat at23 and carrying a check valve 24 normally held in closed positionby thespring 25. The branch connection 21 on the opposing car end is providedwith a valve seat 26 and carries a valve 27 normally held in closedposition by the spring 28. The branch 21 also carries a cap 29 clampingin position the rubber sleeve 30, for making a tight contact with thecoupling member 22. The check valve 24 is provided with a stem 31normally projecting beyond the outer end of the coupling member 22, sothat when the parts are brought into the coupled relation shown, the endof the stem en-l Igages the valve 27 and a further movement of approachcauses the opening of both check valves, the outer end of the couplingmember 22 finally engaging the valve 27 and rendering its openingpositive. The o'uter end of the coupling4 member 22 is provided with theports 32, so that when the parts are 1n the coupled relation shown,communlcation 1s established between the exhaust systems of the twocars.

The valve 27 has its middle portion slotted, as indicated at 33,thus'providing for the passage of the nozzle 11 when the pipe 9 iscoupled to the car 3. In reaching the position shown in Fig. 2, thenozzle 11 opens the check valve 34 normally held shut by the leaf spring35, the check valve whenthus moved out of the way by the nozzleoccupying the dotted line position, as indicated in the drawing. A tightconnection is insured between the end of the nozzle 11 and the part 21by means of the rubber sleeve 36 clamped between a flange 37 on the part21 and the cap 38, such cap being connected to the longitudinalconnection 17. A tight connection is also secured between the nozzle 11and the cap member 39 just below the check valve 34 by the use of therubber sleeve 40 clamped between the cap 39 andthe nut 41.

When the nozzle is pushed in to the eX- treme position illustrated inFig. 2, the eX- hausting of air through the nozzle and pipe 9 produces avacuum in the systems of the tables 1,2 and 3 and in all of the systemsof the cars to the right of the car 3. At this time, there is nocommunication from the nozzle 11 to the exhaust system of the car 4,

l but if a sheet of glass has just been laid upon this car and it isdesired to apply suction to the system of the car, this can be done byinserting the nozzle of the hose 10.

However, it is not necessary to apply this separate nozzle to the car 4in order to secure the desired vacuum, as this may be done by merelycoupling the car to the car 3 provided the nozzle 11 is at this timeremoved and the valve 34 allowed to close. Under these conditions, theexhaust or suction eifect present in the train of lbars 1, 2, 3, etc. isimmediately communicated to" the connections of the car 4 when suchcarjis brought into coupled relation with the car 3., thus openingthetwo check valves 24 and 27.

Suction may be also applied to the system of the car 4 from the nozzle11 on the hose 9 by merely withdrawing such nozzle until its end lies atthe point marked a. In such position, the nozzle 11 does nottinterierewith the communication between the passage 42 and the interior of thesleeve 22, the ports 32 permitting such communication. When the nozzle11 is in the position ust referred to with its end at the point a, theapplication of suction through the nozzle applies suction to all of thecars of the train, that is, to the cars 3, 2, l, etc. in advance of thenozzle connection and to the cars 4, 5, etc. to the rear of such nozzleconnection. It is thus possible by inserting the nozzle' 11 into thelateral branch 21 of any of the tables to apply exhaust to the entiresystem of tables and thus compensate for any loss of Vacuum in thesystem due to leakage. A hand valve 43 just back of the nozzle 11 servesto cut ol any back iowy through the pipe 9 when the j nozzle iswithdrawn from the branch 21.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modiiedarrangement of coupling connections andcheck valves for accomplishing substantially the same functions as thosedescribed in connection with the Fig. 2 construction. In thisconstruction, the end of the car is provided with a coupling member 44adapted to telescope into the coupling member 45 on the car 3. Themember 44 carries a check valve 46 normally held closed by the spring47, but adapted to be moved to open position by means of the lever 48pivoted at 49 upon a suitable bracket and having its inner end inpivotal connection with the stem of the valve 46. The coupling member 45is also provided with a check valve 50 normally held in closed relationby the spring 51, but adapted to be opened by the bell crank lever 52pivoted at 53 and having one end'in operative engagement with the stem54 of the valve 50. The stem 54 of the valve 50 is adapted to engage thelever 48 and open the check Valve 46 when the cars are brought into thecoupled relation as indicated in the drawing. The end of the couplingmember 44 is beveled as indicated at 55, so that when this member isbrought to the position illustrated, it engages the end of the lever 52and moves the valve 50 to open position, so that the exhaust systems ofthe two cars or tables are brought into communication automatically whenthe cars are coupled. In order to -make a tight connection between thecoupling member 44 and the coupling member 45, the rubber sleeve 56 isemployed, such lsleeve being clamped between the end of the member 45and the nut 57.

The exhaust pipe 9 is provided at its end witha coupling member 58 andsuch coupling member carries a checkvalve 59 normally held closed by thespring 60, such valve being opened by means of the lever 61, pivotallysupported at 62 and having its inner end in so that when the parts 58and 63 are brought i into the coupled relation shown, the lever 66 isswung so that it opens the valve 64. At the same time, the end of thevalve stem 68 engages the lever 61 and opens the valve 59 so that thecoupling of the two parts brings the vacuum pipe 9 into communicationwith the pipe 70 leading to the suction devices of the table 3. A. tightconnection is secured between the members 58 andv 63 by the use 0f therubber sleeve 71 clam ed in position between the end of the member 63and the nut 72. The method of Voperation and the resulting functions arethe same as described in connection with the Fig. 2 construction.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a plurality of surfacing cars or tables mountedfor movement along a track and each having a glass supporting surface,of an exhaust system for each table comprising communications leadingdown from the surface of the table and connections therefrom extendingto each end of the table, coupling devices at each end of each tablearranged to couple the ends of the connections at the opposing ends ofthe cars together in communicating relation when the tables are broughtinto abutting relation, check valves at the ends of said connectionsadapted to close when the abutting ends of the tables are separated, anair exhausting apparatus arranged adjacent the track and means wherebysaid exhausting apparatus may be connected to the exhaust system of eachtable in turn. i

2. The combination with a plurality of surfacing cars or tables mountedfor movement along a track and each having a glasssupporting surface, ofan exhaust system for each table comprising communications extendingdown from the surface of the table and connections therefrom leading toeach end of the table, and provided with check valves yieldingly heldclosed, coupling devices at each end of each table arranged to open saidcheck valves and couple the ends of the connections on opposing tablestogether when such tables are brought into abutting relation, an airexhausting apparatus arranged adjacent to the track, and means wherebysaid exhausting apparatus may be connected to the exhaust system of eachof the tables.

3. The combination with a plurality of surfacing cars or tables mountedfor movement along a track and each having a glass supporting surface,of an exhaust system for each table comprising communications extendingdown from the surface of the table and connections therefrom leading toeach end of the table, and each having a lateral branch leading to theside of the table, check valves at the ends of said connections and alsoin said branch connections yieldingly held closed, coupling devices ateach end of each table arranged to open said check valves at the ends ofsaid connections and couple said connections together when the tablesare brought into abutting relation, an air cxhausting apparatus adjacentthe track, and means for coupling saidexhaust apparatus to any one ofsaidbranch connections.

4. The combination with a plurality of surfacing cars or tables mountedfor movement along a track and each having a glass supporting surface,of an exhaust system for each table comprising communications extendingdown from the surface of the table and connections therefrom leading toeach end of the table, and each. having a lateral branch leading to theside of the table, check valves at the ends of said connections and alsoin saidjbranch connections yieldingly held closed, coupling devices ateach end of each table arranged to open said check valves at the ends ofsaid connections and couple said connections together when the tablesare brought into abutting relation, an air exhausting apparatus adjacentthe track, and a coupling device for connecting said exhaust apparatusto any one of said branch connections arranged so as to open the checkvalve in said branch connection.

5. The combination with a plurality of surfacing cars or tables mountedfor movement along a track and each having a glass supporting surface,of an exhaust system for each table comprising communications extendingdown from the surface of the table and connections therefrom leading toeach end of the table, and each having a lateral branch leading to theside of the table, check valves at the ends of said connections and alsoin said branch connections yieldingly held closed, coupling devices ateach end of each table arranged to open said check valves at the ends ofsaid connections and couple said connections together when the tablesare brought into abutting relation, an air exhausting apparatus adjacentthe track, and a coupling device for connecting said exhaust apparatusto any one of said branch connections arranged so as to open the checkvalve in said branch connection, the said coupling device when in oneposition cutting off communication between the exhaust systems of thetwo abutting tables and in another position permitting suchcommiuncation.

6. The combination with a surfacing car or table mounted for movementalong a track and having a glass supporting surface, of an exhaustsystem for the table comprising a communication extending down from thesurface of the table, a longitudinal passage connected thereto andextending to the ends of the tables, and a lateral branch passageextending to the side of the table, a check valve in said branch passageand also in each end of said longitudinal passage, all yieldingly heldin closed position, and an exhausting device provided with a pipe havinga cou- Eling membe1 at the end thereof adapted to t into said branchpassage and open the check valve in such branch passage.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th dayof April,

-HALBERT K. HITCHCOCK.

